An Indiana Senate committee is set to consider a bill that would prohibit local governments from placing restrictions on large livestock farms in many rural areas.

The Senate Agriculture Committee scheduled a public hearing Monday at the Statehouse to discuss the bill.

The measure sponsored by committee Chairwoman Jean Leising, an Oldenburg Republican, would stop counties and other local governments from adopting any rules more stringent than state laws on building livestock structures in areas zoned for agricultural use. The bill responds to various Indiana counties that have sought moratoriums on large farms.

Opponents say the proposal would wrongly strip away local authority over sprawling livestock farms that can house thousands of hogs or cows and produce large amounts of animal waste.